Chapter 15: The Coming Crisis, the 1850s
- Lincoln's America: Sectionalism before the Civil War
The Lincoln Museum of Fort Wayne, Indiana presents images and short descriptions capturing the flavor of the dynamic North, the prosperous South, and expanding West.
- Henry Clay
A daguerreotype photo taken near the end of Clay's life between 1850 and 1852. From the Library of Congress collection.
- Daniel Webster
The photo of one of American history's greatest speakers was taken in 1851 or 1852, shortly before Webster's death. From the Library of Congress collection.
- Millard Fillmore
Brief biography, inaugural addresses, and familiar quotations, plus a biography of the First Lady. Sponsored by the White House.
- A Roman Catholic Cardinal
This photo of John Cardinal McCloskey from the 1840s or 1850s suggests one of the reasons why the American (Know-Nothing) Party so feared Catholics. The official uniform and trappings of office convinced many "common men" that their liberty was in danger from a vast, wealthy, worldwide secret organization.
- Franklin Pierce
Brief biography, inaugural addresses, and familiar quotations, plus a biography of the First Lady. Sponsored by the White House.
- Stephen Arnold Douglas (1813-1861)
Stephen Arnold Douglas (1813-1861)Brief biographical chronology of the leading politician in Illinois prior to Lincoln, and a serious contender for the Presidency throughout the 1850s.
- Stephen A. Douglas Photo
The "Little Giant" who wanted to bind the sections together materially with a transcontinental railroad ended up laying the foundation for civil war with the Kansas - Nebraska act.
- James Buchanan
Brief biography, inaugural addresses, and familiar quotations, plus a biography of his niece Harriet Lane, the "First Hostess" for history's only bachelor President. Sponsored by the White House.
- Abraham Lincoln Online
A full-featured site covering all aspects of Lincoln's life and times.
- Lincoln-Douglas Debates, 1858
A geographical overview and brief description of the famous debates held prior to the Senate election of 1858.
- Political Conventions in Chicago: Then (1860) and Now (1996)
A statistical comparison of the Republican convention (the first hosted in the city by the lake) and the recent Democratic convention. The differences will impress you! Compiled by the Chicago Historical Society.
- The Impending Crisis 1859-1861
http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/vshadow2/outlines/event.html
A narrative of events covering John Brown's raid on the armory at Harper's Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), the political party conventions, Lincoln's election, southern secession, and the firing on Fort Sumter. In addition to these sections, there is a selection of news reports gathered from New York City, Baltimore, Richmond (Va.) and Harrisburg (Penn.) newspapers.
- Valley of the Shadow: Two Communites Enter the Civil War
Two counties, one in Pennsylvania, the other in Virginia, though just a short distance apart, occupy two different social worlds that come into violent conflict between John Brown's raid in 1859 and the secession of the south in 1861. Click on "Communities" to view text and images covering daily life, family & gender, military life, politics, religion, and race relations. Click on "Sources" to view local newspapers, census records, images, and maps.
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